Sand
by My Void
Summary: This horrific scene before me was the last time I saw him, those ten years back when he fell from that tree and had broken his hand. He had asked for it back; I hadn't given it to him. He didn't speak, I didn't move. But I knew what he wanted; and he wanted it now. (AU SasuSaku, NaruHina, Gaara X OC)
1. Depths Of Hell

_**SAND**_

_**Chapter 1: Depths Of Hell**_

_The squeaking of loose hinges on a swing set, back and forth back and forth. On the breeze I could smell a swift of my grandmothers perfume mixed in with sugar cookies. She always liked to bake, especially for Inazuma and I. I turned around on my heel, the edges of my vision blurry as I squinted my eyes, looking everywhere for her puffy grey hair, her smiling face and those distinct old timer glasses that balanced on the end of her nose. _

_ But instead of finding the comforting sight I found something that completely contradicted the word __**comforting. **__Emotionless sea foam green eyes that bore into my own hazel eyes, that blood red hair that hung in front of his face loosely, a mangled hand out stretched as if he wanted something from me. _

_ And he did. _

_ Back and forth back and forth. I could feel my heart pumping faster and faster, it was a wonder why it hadn't already burst out of my chest. Still no matter how much the fear of seeing him before me engulfed my right mind I wasn't able to move, my feet where stapled to the green grass beneath me. But it wasn't green anymore, it was wilted and dead. The swing set wasn't something any child wanted to play on, it was rusted and wore down. I remembered my grandmother's death, remembered it couldn't have been her there but it can certainly be him. As per usual he tricked me, again. _

_ This horrific scene before me was the last time I saw him, those ten years back when he fell from that tree and had broken his hand. He had asked for it back; I hadn't given it to him. _

_ He didn't speak, I didn't move. But I knew what he wanted; and he wanted it now. _

_ Then I woke up._

* * *

"Henko! Darling, sleeping in so late isn't healthy." I sighed, sitting up as I ruffled my auburn curls so they bounced against my shoulders. I looked over to my bedroom door where my mother stood leaning against the frame, her chocolate brown eyes soft in worry. I shouldn't be so sour with her, really; it wasn't her fault these nightmares where regular occurrences, it wasn't her fault I have been losing sleep and just recently have I been starting to sleep a lot more than usual because of that factor.

No, it's my dad's fault if anything. If it wasn't for his sudden burst of mid life crisis we wouldn't have to move back to that hell hole, I wouldn't have to worry about confronting my worst fears.. or _fear_ per say. I wouldn't have to worry about keeping Inazuma -my kid brother- out of trouble. That town is _nothing _but trouble, so said my grandma and my grandma_ is_ always right.. or _was._

If it wasn't her, I wouldn't be alive right now. If it wasn't for me.. she'd still be alive right now. "I know.. I know mom."

"No Henko, I don't think you do." She began. She came over to me, her high heels clapping against my polished wood floor as she sat at the edge of my bed. She extended a perfectly manicured hand, stroking my head soothingly. "I'm worried for you honey, are you sure you're okay with this move?"

I wanted to say no, I wanted to tell her I'm scared to go back. I wanted to spill my guts and scream out that this is the wrong choice, tell her the truth about everything; tell her how exactly grandma had died. But I didn't, I just nodded my head throwing my duvet off my body and letting the cold air of my bedroom hit me giving me instant goosebumps.

"Yeah mom, I'm just really stressed lately." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth. I'm no longer capable of telling the truth, I promised grandma I wouldn't say a word to mom or dad or Inazuma so I won't; ever. She gave me a wary look but just nodded her head curtly, standing up. With her heels she towered over me, I was after all five foot nothing. Inazuma always teased me telling me it's because of all the coffee I drink. Sometimes I really did love my kid brother, despite the fights we always get in I have this overwhelming need to protect him even though he's already fourteen and doesn't really need protecting, that's why moving again is seriously causing me to be high strung.

"Well we have an hour before we leave, breakfast is ready." I nodded my head, shaking it in the process and trying to rid of the pounding headache I had. My mom kissed me on the forehead, giving me one last worried look as she left closing my door behind her. Standing up I crossed my room pulling my hair into a loose bun on top of my head. I looked at myself in my large mirror leaning against the wall seeing me, but not seeing me at the same time. It was the last thing left in my room other than my bed in which surely the movers would remove while I ate breakfast.

Inazuma must have came in and taken the other smaller boxes i'd packed and left in the corner of my room while I was asleep earlier this morning. I was kind of pissed about that, those boxes where like a silent protest to my parents.

I DON'T WANT TO GO.

Of course they didn't catch on, I didn't expect them to. I grabbed a sweater I'd left on the floor after coming home from my last day of school yesterday and shrugged it on. What's the point in dressing up when I was only going to be driving all day anyway, right? I sighed once more, letting all my disappointment roll off me in waves. I wouldn't really miss my school, in fact I should be ecstatic I'm moving seeming I have no friends here and I had so many back in the tiny village of Mei. But I'm not, because I know the truth about that tight knit village like my grandma and unlike my immediate family. I was so naive then, now not so much. Now I wonder how I never truly noticed, I was after all a rather observant child.

I reached into the sweater pocket pulling out a tiny bracelet that surprisingly still fit my wrist. It was made of lace and there was a small emblem, a wisp of sand that was attached by a small golden ring hanging off the black lace. My eyes emptied of all emotion as I stared down at the object, the object I had stolen. Hopefully he'd moved, maybe even died somehow. It's a morbid thought I know, but it's better than actually confronting him after knowing what i'd done to him all those years ago.

I turned on my heel walking down the stairs, maybe once I got down stairs my dad would've changed his mind, maybe he would apologize for his mistake and make the movers put everything back. But of course that was just wishful thinking, and when I entered into the kitchen my dad was already half way out the backdoor letting out our family cat, Pluto outside. No she was not named after the silly dog off that American TV show, or the dwarf planet; no she was named after Pluto the god of the underworld, or Hades, or simply the devil. Because that's exactly what she is.

She may come off as cute, she's tiny with shocking blue eyes and cream colored fur. But she's evil, I swear she's plotting my death and will one day eventually follow through with it. She's already tried giving me heart attacks by jumping out at me at the most random of times. Inazuma says I'm a lot like her, Inazuma says a lot of things. I sat down at the kitchen table, scarfing down an oatmeal cookie and ignoring Inazuma's death glares every time I grabbed another cookie before he could grab one.

"Pig." He snarled, I hardly gave him a side glance as I stood up the movers coming in and shooing an angry Inazuma away as they folded it up and carried it out leaving me with the basket of cookies in which I happily took out to the front porch. I sat there, relishing in the sun as it bore down on my back and munching on cookies. After about five minutes of thinking and pigging out I had finished a basket full of ten oatmeal cookies and completely wore out my brain mentally and emotionally. I felt like crying to be honest, watching the movers pack up every last bit of our gorgeous Victorian house into a dusty moving truck. My dad ushered a still fuming Inazuma into the car, packing away Pluto in her cage as my mother fluttered around making sure everything was in check and the shady movers weren't jacking anything.

Inazuma, the only family member I haven't truly spoken of yet. He just turned fourteen two months back making him three years younger than me. He takes after my mother, with light brown hair that can seem blond if he stands in the sun long enough (Which he doesn't because he wastes his life away playing video games with his friends in the basement.) He has the same dark chocolate brown eyes, and ignorant attitude but I still love him so much despite his big mouth. I take after my grandmother, which probably explains why we where so close. I have the same hazel eyes that can be seemingly gold in the sun, the same curly auburn hair and height, and I'm more curvy like her; Inazuma and Mom are stick thin. My dad, which is technically my step dad is Inazuma's real father though. I never met my real father; my mom always tells me he was merely a one night stand.

Doesn't matter to me, it doesn't bug me much and at the moment I had bigger things to deal with. I huffed as my mother waved me down over by the car, and I watched with sad eyes as my dad locked up the house for the last time. The FOR SALE sign that was stuck into the ground three weeks back sat there beckoning someone to buy the house were most my favored memories lay, and will forever remain.

Dramatic I know, but I'm a very dramatic person. When I pulled myself into the car beside Inazuma it was tense, and I knew this was going to be a quiet ride.

"Ready gang?" My dad exclaimed a little too chipper as he started the car, I winced at the word 'gang'. A little too coincidental, I thought sourly.

Here we go, into the depths of hell once more. Hopefully this time we'll all come out alive.


	2. Daydream

_**Chapter 2: Daydream**_

_"He's dangerous you know, you better stay away from him." _

_ "I just think he's lonely, he's usually nice to me." _

_ "That's just an act." I was six again, wearing a floral print dress with pink flip flops; my long hair tied back into a ponytail with a silk pink ribbon fashioned into a perfect bow. I turned around along with Sakura to see THE Sasuke Uchiha leaning against the beautiful large oak tree in my grandmothers front yard. "He's not someone you want to get involved with." He added shortly after, pushing himself off the tree; his arms still crossed as he walked over to us. _

_ "Teme you're so mean to me!" Naruto whined loudly, pouting as he crossed his arms and looked to the ground sadly. I stifled a giggle, casting a wary glance over to Sasuke. Grandma always tells me to stay away from Sasuke and Naruto, even Sakura but they're so nice to me. _

_ "I'm not talking about you dope." Sasuke snapped iritably causing Naruto to instantly brighten and trot over to us three happily, Sasuke's gaze wavered over to the yard across from my house "I'm talking about him, Sabaku no Gaara." He sat alone underneath an oak tree much like my grandma's; but this tree was knarled and twisted at scary angles. It shaded his house so it looked so dark, and even abandon but we all knew better, we all knew it was occupied by the Sabaku family. _

_ He held a tattered brown teddy bear to his chest, as his eyes lifted up to meet my own. My breathing hitched as those green eyes bore into my own, blood dribbling from the side of his mouth... like that one day. _

* * *

"Henko, hey Henko you okay?" Inazuma snapped his fingers in front of my face, causing me to snap out of my daze. I was staring across the yard at that same gnarled and scary oak tree. It still shaded that house, that still looked abandon. To my dismay though three cars that I vaguely remember occupied the driveway. I looked over to Inazuma, my brow furrowed.

"Yeah I'm fine." I breathed, did I just have a day dream? I thought, it was a scary thought I've never spaced out like that before. Shaking my head of the troubling thoughts I turned around to face Inazuma. "Want to go pick out our rooms?" I asked, shooting him a happy smile, which caused him to smile back just as happily.

"I'll race you!" He chirped, turning on his heel to run into the house. I cast one last glance back at the house behind me, letting my eyes travel over the red chipped bricks, and the vines winding up the walls.. that tree and it's creepy stature. And I swore as my eyes traveled up to the spot where I knew his bedroom lay, I saw those green eyes staring back at me from the dimly lit window. I ran after Inazuma, maybe to evade the feeling that someone was watching me, or maybe just to get my mind off of everything for a while but I weaved in between the movers carrying things into the house -ignoring their harsh glares, and shouts of protest- and up the large winding stairs inside right behind a laughing Inazuma.

Once we reached the top floor we walked down the long hallway, I trailed my fingers against the smooth wall that was painted an ivory color. My grandma and papa had painted this house from scratch when they first moved in after they got married all those years ago. My grandma never told me how my papa died, we all just assumed it was from a heart condition of some sort, maybe a tumor. Nobody really asked anyway, it hurt grandma too much to talk about things like that. It's the same with me, no one talks about grandma around me because I was there when she died; I watched it happen.

I pushed a door open, it squeaked on it's hinges as it swung open slowly revealing a dark and rather dusty room with a small single bed shoved in the corner, the curtains where pulled over the windows letting no light inside, and there was a distinct smell of nail polish; then my mind went reeling.

* * *

_"This room will look great once we're done, Henko. I promise that much." I smiled as I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, stuffing a paint brush in the pocket of my jean overalls. My hair was tied back in another silk ribbon, this one was blue though. My grandma wore a hankerchief over her fluffy grey hair, her glasses balancing on the end of her nose like they always did. She wore overalls too, that's why I had chosen to wear mine. I loved looking and acting like my grandma, she was my role model. _

_ "Grandma Sakura say's pink is the prettiest color, can we paint my room pink?" I saw something flash in my grandma's hazel eyes at the mention of Sakura. She walked over to the window, yanking the black curtains open letting the bright sun shine in. _

_ "Henko you can't let other people's favorite things determine your favorite things. What color do YOU want to paint the room?" She asked me, looking over her shoulder. The sun shone in on her, her eyes turning that distinct gold color. I smiled, feeling a giddy sort of joy overwhelm me. _

_ "I want to paint it gold!" I squealed, she nodded her head as if she approved of the choice, flashing me a sweet smile. _

_ "Gold it is then, we'll go to the shop right now and buy some!" That's what I loved about my grandma, she never waited to long nor did she ever procrastinate. It wasn't her way, it wasn't mine either. I followed after her but before we could make it out of the room I knocked over a bottle of nail polish my grandmother had just been using to paint her freakishly long nails -She must've set it done on the ground when I had come in asking to paint the room-, it was bright red as it spilled out across the hard wood floor. My face dropped as I looked to my grandma, preparing myself to get in trouble. _

_ Instead she began laughing hysterically, picking up the bottle and setting it on the dresser by the door. "That's going to leave a stain." She laughed, She was always so easy going.. I loved her so much. _

* * *

When I opened my eyes again the curtains had already been pulled open letting the afternoon light filter into my room, did I do that? I thought nervously. Yes, this was the room my grandma and I had prepared for me to stay in every summer and I never actually got to use it. This was MY room, the gold paint still glittering on the walls and the white designs of butterflies and flowers still stenciled on the walls in artistic positions. I was kneeling beside a huge red stain, and still the smell of nail polish lingered by that area.

Mixed with my grandma's perfume.

"Is this the room you want, Henko?" Inazuma was leaning in the door frame, looking around the room with wide eyes. I nodded my head, standing up as I looked out the window. Dust had obviously gathered in this room seeming the light shining in highlighted a lot of it as it floated in the air, causing the room to have a beautiful glare. I smiled to myself a bit, Inazuma jutted a thumb to the door behind him, "That's the one i'm taking." I nodded my head, waving him off as he walked away; probably to go grab his things.

I walked over to the old fashioned window, my grandma did always like Victorian styled houses. When we moved out of Mei she helped my parents pick a house and I loved her decision. This house though, this house held more memories than the old one. It was, after all my grandma and papa's. And now it belongs to my mom, and soon it will belong to me. I unlatched the lock on the window, and opened it leaning out into the fresh spring air. I closed my eyes taking in the sun on my face, and relishing in the beauty of everything.

"Henko-Chan is that you!?" My eyes snapped open instantly as the small trace of a smile that was on my face disappeared, being replaced by a frown. I looked beneath me into the streets where a familiar looking pink haired female stood, her green eyes bright like emeralds, a smile gracing her angular features. My mind flashed back to a small six year old pink haired girl, with emerald green eyes and a stubborn personality and the tenacity to do anything.

"S-Sakura-Chan?" I breathed, she waved at me from down in the street and I returned the wave half heatedly. Behind her came two other people, one I recognized as Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki, although he looked a lot older from when I last remembered him. His blond hair was more upright, his eyes brighter and more full of life; and of course he was a lot taller. He walked up to Sakura, a girl with plain blue eyes and long platinum blond hair following after, scowling.

Sakura looked over to Naruto, still smiling as she pointed to where I stood in the window. Naruto's gaze averted to me instantly as he mimicked Sakura's before actions but added some excited jumping into it. I remember them, all too well. I remember how I was friends with them although my grandmother forbid me to see Naruto and Sasuke, and hardly cared for Sakura. They where always there for me despite my grandmother's status in the town. But then I remembered those last few weeks where I had befriended Gaara and they seemed to turn on me, seemed to care less and less if I was friends with them or not.

I snapped out of the memory quickly once Naruto called up, beckoning for me to come outside and talk. I sighed nodding my head rather reluctantly as I shut the windows and prepared myself emotionally to confront my past; a past that I so badly wanted to just lock up and throw away, a past that I thought might've been buried along with my grandmother.

But no, I was just wishing for the impossible once again.


	3. Sabaku No Gaara

**Chapter 3: Sabaku No Gaara.**

_**A/N: Listen to Pierce The Veil- Caraphernelia. It won't make much sense now, but it will later on. Plus Vic's voice is to die for ^^**_

* * *

"Someone seems to be moving in across the street, hu Gaara?" I grunted in response, the only response she was going to get from me at the moment. I watched her as she stood in the front yard, under the sun her eyes turned a shade of gold; her hair fell against her shoulders in glistening auburn curls, and she was still unnaturally short.

The only difference was of course her age, and the look in her eyes as she looked across the street to where my front yard was. Her gaze was distant, and cold; detached even. So different from the naive and carefree girl I once knew with her silk ribbons and optimistic outlook. She used to give me hope, now I look to her and feel sick. The audacity she had, her and her damned family to return.

"Do you know who it is, Gaara?" She asked me, I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to make my voice seem cold and uninterested as usual; to my surprise it came out as a growl, frightening my older sister as she took a step away at my harsh words.

"Tell father that the Amai family has returned." Temari -My older sister- Nodded as she walked out of my room, quickening her pace as she made it out into the hall. I averted my attention back to the front yard, the movers moving all their belongings into the house, as a younger looking boy approached her carefully snapping his fingers in front of her face.

* * *

_"Gaara-Kun this is my baby brother Inazuma." The small toddler toddled up to me, I stared on at the child with no emotion; but then I saw the hopeful look on her face, so I forced a smile and a polite greeting to the blubbering and slobbering baby. Henko smiled giddily, and that.. That truly made me smile. _

_"Henko-" I began, she turned to face me with those hazel eyes and angelic features, her cheeks dotted in pale freckles as a sweet smile overtook her face; urging me to continue. I reached for my wrist, slipping off the bracelet and grabbing her wrist gently, slipping it onto her arm tenderly as if she might break at any moment. She toyed with the emblem, a small wisp of sand that hung from black lace "-I uhm want you to have it." The blush on my cheeks was embarrassingly evident, but she seemed to be completely oblivious to it._

_"Why?" She asked in shock, but I could tell in her eyes she was ecstatic about the present, the question was just simple curiosity. I could see in her eyes that she thought nothing of it, thought it was just simply exchanging a present between two close friends. But for me it was much more, my mother had given me that bracelet before she died; that bracelet was a special family air loom, I gave it to her because I trusted her, it represented my feelings for her._

_"Because you're special." I breathed, she smiled at me as she skipped a bit happily. I smiled back, this moment was perfect._

* * *

Now as I watch her run off after her younger brother that was no longer a slobbering toddler I regret those actions, those false words that I'd so foolishly let fall from my mouth. The same bracelet she'd stolen from me that day hung from her wrist now, as she glanced back to my house once more; this time though she caught my gaze. She froze like a deer in headlights, and then shook her head one last time before running into the house.

I couldn't help but smirk at her fear, she wasn't afraid of my then but now she knows everything. She knows the secrets, the lies, the deceiving actions of mostly everyone in this small town. She knows who I really am, that's why I need that bracelet back, I need her gone.

* * *

_"Gaara!" The piercing squeal caused my blood to run hot in anger, but the pain in my hand was more evident than my anger at that moment. She came to my side, her eyes frantic in worry; her hair pulled back in it's signature ponytail. This day it was a red silk ribbon, the same color as fresh blood. _

_I felt the warm substance drip from my mouth as I tucked my mangled hand closer to my chest, Henko looked behind her to the others that had been the cause of this, her eyes alight in fury. "Sasuke why did you do this! This stupid fighting went too far!" She screamed angrily, the cold metal of the bracelet still on her wrist brushed against my cheek as she keeled over me protectively. _

_"Henko, inside now!" My vision was becoming blurry, but that was Henko's grandmother calling wasn't it? She was angry, very very angry. _

_"Henko-Chan you need to understand-" The smooth voice of Sakura Haruno spoke, closer to us now but Henko cut her off curtly. She was protecting me, she was actually protecting me. _

_"No, I don't want to hear it! This is horrible you don't just do this to someone!" _

_"Listen Amai-" Sasuke began coldly, he never even used her first name.. It was always her surname. Henko didn't dare interrupt him, but I could practically hear her fury rolling off of her in waves. That's what I liked about her, when she was feeling something she let people know what it was without hesitation "-Gaara is dangerous, his family is dangerous. The Sabaku family are after your grandmother, your family!" I could feel her tense above me, I was beginning to slip in and out of consciousness but Sasuke's brash words spiked something in me. _

_It was true, we where after her family but Henko really meant something special to me. "T-That's not true!" Her voice cracked as she spoke, and I felt her body convulse as she cried. I heard rapid footsteps approaching as Henko was ripped away from me roughly, my body dropped to the ground and I called out in pain. "Grandma!" Henko squealed in surprise, I began pulling myself off the ground, my body was heaving at the effort; but I was trained to ignore pain so it was bearable. _

_"You four leave Henko alone! She won't be returning here no more after this summer!" Henko's grandmother spat. I was furious, Uchiha had revealed it all and my family would certainly seek revenge after this. _

_"Grandma, is all this true?" Henko asked, her voice small and afraid. I knew her trust was wavering, I knew soon she would look at me the same as everyone else, like I was cold hearted, horrible.. A monster. I stood at last, my bangs falling in front of my face as I wiped the blood from the side of my mouth with the sleeve of my shirt. _

_"It's true." I croaked, not giving the old lady time to say anything. Henko shook her head like she couldn't believe it; I could scarcely believe it myself. I was about to continue, to tell her what I truly felt for her, the friendship despite the fact she was merely six with the mindset and I was far beyond my years; but something knew had entered into her eyes, they darkened until they where almost a black color and I was surprised to see her so angry.. So dangerous looking, so cold. _

_"YOU LIED TO ME!" Her words hit me and the pain was insurmountable, my broken hand and my splitting head ache did not amount to the severe internal pain I was experiencing looking at her tear filled eyes, I had lied to her.. She didn't let me explain, she didn't let me continue.. She was so hurt she completely shut me away even though we promised to never do that to each other no matter the circumstances. She had jumped to conclusions, she judged me based on other peoples words and left me all alone.. Like my mother.. Like Yashamaru. _

_At that moment I felt my heart shut down, my anger boil over the brim as I lost the only friend I ever had before my very eyes. The lock was re-locked and everything I felt that summer; the memories where forever pushed away as I shoved my broken hand in her direction; my hair still screening my face to hide the pain in my eyes. _

_"Give it back." I hissed, but she shook her head. Her own bangs coming loose and framing her cheeks. _

_"Go to hell." I heard her grandmother tsk Henko's language use, but I ignored her and paid more attention to the venom that had dripped from her voice as she said those harsh words. I knew for a fact that she'd NEVER look at me the same again. I smirked, lifting my head so we came eye to eye. _

_"Planning on it, whether you like it or not Henko Amai I will get that bracelet back." And then her grandmother dragged her back inside, despite her protests. _

_I never saw her again. _

_Until now._

* * *

"They're back?"

"Yes, father."

"You know what to do, Gaara." I watched as Sakura and the Uzumaki boy along with another Haruno gang member -Ino, was it?- beckoned for Henko to join them as she hung half way out her bedroom window. I could see the reluctance in her eyes, but she hadn't the heart to say no. Like always, the only one she's capable of lying to, of saying no to, of forgetting is _**ME.**_

"Yes father, I understand what needs to be done."


End file.
